Getting found by AI — how to make your business the answer ChatGPT, Perplexity, Siri, and Google's AI Overviews give when locals ask.
More and more people don’t search anymore — they ask. They ask Siri “where should I eat near me,” ask ChatGPT “who’s a good web designer in Orlando,” and read Google’s AI Overview instead of clicking ten blue links. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) — also called GEO, Generative Engine Optimization — is how your business becomes the answer those AI tools give.
AEO overlaps with local SEO but goes further. Where SEO gets you ranked in a list of links, AEO gets you cited inside an AI-generated answer, where there often are no links at all — just one or two recommendations. The businesses that win share three traits: their data is unambiguous and consistent everywhere, their content is written answer-first in plain language (the way people actually ask), and it’s backed by real specifics — prices, stats, named places — that AI engines can quote.
The mechanics that matter: clear structured data (schema) so engines know exactly what you are; FAQ-style, self-contained content; a fast, crawlable site (not a menu locked in a PDF); and presence on the sources AI trusts most — Google Business Profile, reputable directories, and even Reddit. The guides below break it down, and our local SEO & AEO services build all of it into one partnership.
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AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) structures your content so AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews cite you as the answer to a question. SEO ranks you in Google’s links; AEO gets you named in AI answers and voice results.
Keep your business data consistent everywhere, write answer-first content with real specifics, use proper schema markup, keep your site fast, and earn mentions on trusted sources like directories, reputable listicles, and Reddit. AI engines pull from sources they already trust.
No — they work together. You still want to rank in Google and the Map Pack; AEO adds the new AI-answer channel on top. The foundations (consistent data, helpful content, a fast site) serve both.
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